The Dragon's Trials
by Caustic Glare
Summary: Unused to being part of a group or accepted for that matter due to her unique heritage, Phiona Neverwind is drawn into the wild adventures of Beacon Academy. With a dark past constantly hunting her down and two strange new girls entrenching themselves into her heart, will she be able to survive this new part of her life. "You shouldn't worry about me. My scars are my own to bear."
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Once more, with feeling**

I shuffle nervously on my feet as I look out at the large crowd gathering outside the dust store I was currently in. I had been thinking of upgrading my weapon Kronos lately, mainly trying to increase the impact strength and range, but I didn't have the materials I needed. Now, though, I was strongly reconsidering coming here. The humans outside didn't look too happy at seeing me enter a human store. I pout slightly. I don't understand why I have to be accused of these nasty crimes just because I was a Faunus. My tail coils in response to my agitation, the silver scales gleaming in the light while the barbed spear tip digs into the linoleum floor. I pull my hood up to hide my long silver hair and the four ivory horns that curve up from the sides of my head. My orange eyes dart back towards the window, seeing the mob beginning to press up against the glass causing me to unconsciously dig the tip of my tail further into the linoleum.

I mumble an apology when I accidentally bump into the redheaded girl next to me, though I don't think she actually heard me due to the headphones covering her ears. She did feel me bump into her however and looks up at me with silver eyes that soon widen and begin to sparkle upon seeing Kronos strapped to my back. The enormous cannon/war club was currently in its melee form, the inch long spikes retracted to prevent injury. I back up slightly as she gets closer, trying to look over my shoulder at my weapon which proves to be a difficult task as she had to look past my six foot frame.

"WOW, what is **that**!? I don't think I've ever seen a weapon like that before." She asks excitedly. I blush darkly at her closeness and try to speak but only end up muttering incoherently, my tail swishing in discomfort. The girl seems to catch sight of my unease and backs up slowly, her smile not leaving her face however. "Sorry about that. Whenever I see a new weapon I can't help but get a little excited. So, uh, let's start over." She says awkwardly before sticking out her hand. "Hi, my name is Ruby Rose. What's yours?" Ruby asks. I look at the hand warily for a few moments before placing my hand gently in hers. "H-hello Ruby. I'm Phiona. Phiona Neverwind. It's a pleasure to meet you." I say. A small smile spreads across my own face as I watch her eyes begin to sparkle once more upon seeing Kronos. "So, what is your weapon?" She asks. I don't get the chance to answer however because at that exact moment I hear the door jingle.

Glancing over, I see that the mob outside is gone and instead a group of men are standing in front of the store clerk. The one with orange hair and a white jacket has a smug smirk on his face that I immediately dislike. I heard him mention something about the dust, but I was distracted by Ruby trying to talk to me. I was so distracted that I didn't hear the man approaching us until he grabbed me and Ruby roughly by the shoulder and spun us around to face him. "Hands in the air." He orders, pointing his weapon at us. I don't comply and instead slowly inch away from the man, though Ruby only gave the man a strange look. "Are you… robbing us?" She asks calmly. My jaw drops at Ruby's words, though not nearly as much as the man's own. "YES." He yells. Ruby continues to eye him strangely before responding. "Oh."

Then she drop kicks him.

Through the store's front window.

My mind was officially blown for the day.

Before I knew it Ruby had grabbed my hand and dragged me out through the window with her, my face bright red at the physical contact. I look up to see the orange haired man standing in the newly created hole surrounded by his goons. He then looks at them in annoyance before speaking.

"Well, get them."

Then the street brawl started. I can honestly say I was equal parts terrified and exhilarated as I reach back and remove Kronos from its holster, its familiar weight reassuring in my hands. Looking over I could see Ruby was the same, a red-themed scythe spinning expertly in her hands before crunching into the pavement. Smiling at her enthusiasm, I grip the trigger mechanism on the handle and release the lethal spikes from their ports, the exhaust vents on each of Kronos's six sides releasing a slight flare of purple energy before settling on a pulsating glow. I easily lift the club and settle it on my shoulder, the pavement cracking beneath my feet from the additional weight. My orange eyes flash as the men in red and black suits run toward us.

Ruby instantly begins spinning her scythe, slicing and knocking back goon after goon while rifle shots boost her from spot to spot. If one were to watch closely, it would almost seem as though she was dancing with her weapon.

_Incredible_.

I jump back as one of the goons brings his sword down right where I had been standing. Spinning on my heels, I slam my tail into his midsection sending him flying backwards before spinning again and bringing Kronos down on a goon who had tried to sneak up on me. The goon manages to avoid the brunt of the blow, but the shockwave causes him to stumble. So busy trying to get his balance back, he didn't see the war club roaring towards him, one of its vents jetting purple energy to give it extra speed and force. I watch as he flies off before holding the trigger on the handle, supercharging the vents on Kronos before slamming the club's flat head on the ground, causing a massive shockwave to blast the goons surrounding me into the nearby buildings. I let out a sigh of relief when I hear Ruby come to a stop near me, panting hard yet scythe held at the ready.

Orange-hair looks annoyed while mumbling something about incompetent help. He then holds his cane up and points it at us, a targeting reticle popping up. "Well Red, Silver, it really has been fun, but I'm afraid that this is where we part ways." He says before pulling the trigger causing a spark of red dust to come shooting towards us. We jump out of the way but when the dust clears, orange-hair is nowhere to be seen.

Ruby looks around frantically, searching for the strange man when I spot him climbing the ladder of a nearby building. I tap Ruby on the shoulder before pointing at the building and she nods in thanks before sprinting off after him. I somehow manage to keep up with her thanks to my long legs despite her head start. But by the time I reach the building she was already halfway up it. That girl is **really** fast.

I manage to make it onto the roof as orange-hair shoots another dust blast at Ruby. I raise Kronos and the flat head retracts to show a four-pronged pseudo cannon. Immediately a swirling black mass of energy appears at the tip of the prongs and the dust shot swerves my way before being swallowed up by the vortex along with a small portion of the roof top. The head panel then covers the cannon again as the energy dies out and I immediately go to swing at the man, the vents on Kronos roaring again.

I only have time to comprehend blond hair before Ruby and I are blinded by an explosion of orange flame.

When I open my eyes again, I see a blond woman wielding a riding crop with a raised shield glyph in front of us. I look over to see Ruby's eyes were wide again with little sparkles showing up out of nowhere. For some reason, seeing her look at the blond woman like that sent a pang of something through my chest. I had no idea what it was, but I didn't like the feeling. One thought was very clear in my mind and just like the strange feeling, I didn't know where it stemmed from.

"_I want her to look at __**me**__ like that."_

I was unable to continue that train of thought however when I caught sight of another figure, a woman this time, standing on the edge of a Vertibird. For some reason, she looks strangely familiar to me, though the darkness and shadow on the Vertibird make it impossible to discern any clear features. Awareness of the situation snaps back to me as I watch the blond woman pick up the shredded remains of the roof and form it into a spear before slamming it into the side of the Vertibird. The spear shatters into pieces before reforming and going for another run until it is incinerated by the stranger.

The woman then sweeps her arm and a glowing trail of flame appears beneath us. The blonde woman and Ruby jumped back while I dart forward, bringing Kronos to bear, cannon: Reverse mode primed. As bits and pieces of the Vertibird start to tear themselves off the frame and fly towards the vortex at Kronos's center, a bright glowing circle appears beneath me and I jump back once again, Kronos reverting to melee form. Before I can do anything, the Vertibird starts flying away and Ruby begins taking potshots at it with her rifle. However it was already too far for the shots to have any real effect.

But what really sent chills down my spine is when I turn around and see the blonde woman staring at Ruby and I, great irritation present in her eyes. I look at Ruby and see she has the same sense of fear in her eyes.

What have I gotten myself into?


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Welcome to Beacon**

"Do you realize the trouble you could have been in if one of you had gotten hurt? Why, if it was up to me, I'd send you home with a pat on the back…" She starts. Ruby looks up hopefully before the riding crop comes slamming down on the table, causing her to rear back with an 'eep' while I try my best to hide behind my curtain of silver hair. "… and a slap on the wrist. But, there is someone here that wishes to speak to you." She says, looking annoyed. As she says those last words, a man with graying hair, a silly green scarf, and a cup of coffee walks in before setting a plate of cookies down in front of us. I manage to grab one and start nibbling on it before Ruby inhales the rest causing me to give her a small smile which she returns in full. I feel my cheeks heat up when she smiles at me and I struggle to fight it back down before looking at the man who had entered.

He was staring at us curiously, paying extra attention to me apparently as I keep catching him glancing at the horns protruding from my head. I shift nervously in my seat under his unwavering gaze and instead choose to look at Ruby who had long since demolished the cookies. Someone clearing their throat brings my attention back to the man. He leans in close, looking both me and Ruby in the eye before speaking. "You… have silver and orange eyes." He says flatly. Ruby looks confused while I let out a nervous sound. The man chuckles before leaning back and gesturing to a scroll held by the blonde woman. It was playing a split screen of me and Ruby fighting orange-hair's goons; Ruby dancing with her scythe while I swung Kronos, crushing anything that came too close. My video than switched to one of me activating Kronos's partial projectile mecha-shift to protect Ruby and rip apart the Vertibird.

"Now, where did you two learn to do something like this?" He asks. Ruby and I glance at each other before answering. "Signal Academy here in Vale" Ruby says proudly. "Blitz Academy in Atlas" I add. Both Ruby's and the man's eyes widen before he regains his composure and continues as though it were nothing strange. "So they taught you to use two of the most dangerous weapons ever designed? In fact, I can only think of one who could have taught you how to use a scythe like that. A dusty old Qrow." He says amused, looking at Ruby for a reaction.

Ruby looks surprised before eagerly nodding her head. "That's my uncle Qrow. He's a teacher at Signal. I was complete garbage before he took me under his wing and now I'm all like fuuu-yaaaa-huuu-waaaa." She says while doing imitation karate moves. I can't help but giggle while I watch her. She turns and flashes me a bright smile that makes my heart beat ten times faster. When the man's eyes turn to me, I assume he wants to know how I learned to fight. "My birth mother used a war club. She said it was the only weapon worth giving a second glance to. When she realized that I had inherited a particular skill for it, she had insisted on teaching me. I've been using Kronos ever since because it's the only weapon that feels right in my hand." I say. A crisp and clear explanation that seems to satisfy the stranger.

His expression then turns serious and it sends chills down my spine like the blonde woman who was currently glaring at us. The man leans forward and places his chin on his threaded fingers. "And why might two adorable girls like you want to slay monsters?" Ruby gets this glazed look in her eye as she starts to speak, though one could tell she took care with her words. "Well, I want to be a huntress. I only have two more years at Signal and then I'm going to apply to Beacon. You see, my sister is going to be there because she's trying to be a huntress and I'm trying to be a huntress because I want to help people. Our parents always taught us to help people and the police are cool but hunters and huntresses are just so much more romantic and aaaahhh, you know?" Ruby tirades.

Ozpin looks both Ruby and I straight in the eye and Ruby quiets. "Do you know who I am?" He asks. Ruby looks excited, but still manages to make an intelligent response. "You're Prof. Ozpin, the headmaster at Beacon Academy." She says. The headmaster seems amused if nothing else. "Hello."… "Nice to meet you." Ozpin looks between the two of us before finally speaking. "You two want to come to my school." Ruby leans over the table, a smile etched on her face while I nod eagerly. "More than anything." She says. Ozpin looks at the blonde woman who sighs before turning back towards us. "Well, ok." He says, grinning.

That was the last I saw of Ruby before we meet again at the Bullhead landing pads. I was intensely glad to finally be able to see her again. I don't know why, but the thought of her being so far away causes a spear of pain in my heart every time I think about it. Of course, when I arrive at the air docks and she tackles me to the ground in a hug, I have to try not to blush, though I manage to pat her on the back. That was also when I noticed the blonde haired girl who had walked up behind us and was snickering at the sight.

The sound causes my blush to burst forth full force, though Ruby doesn't seem to notice. I do start to squirm in discomfort however when I calm down enough to realize that both of our bodies are crushing my tail. I whimper slightly causing Ruby to look up. I point at my poor tail and she gasps before leaping off of me and helping me to my feet. She then starts to check me over for injuries and I swear my face was on fire at the time.

The blonde girl chooses this moment to finally introduce herself. "Nice to meet you. Name's Yang Xiao Long, Ruby's older sister. You must be that Phiona girl Rubes wouldn't stop talking about on the way here. She was so excited to see you again, ya know." Yang says, a smirk on her face. Ruby has the decency to blush before starting to speak at a rapid pace. "I can't help it. I mean we're all going to Beacon and I'm so glad that one of my friends, even if she is a new one, is going to be there with me. We're going to have so much fun. We can go shopping, paint each other's nails, and talk about cute boys." She says. I wince when I hear that last part and it feels like my heart had dropped into my stomach.

Yang seems to notice but doesn't say anything. Ruby keeps going, completely oblivious to the shift in mood. "And before she left last time, she promised that we could compare weapons later. After seeing what hers could do, I'm, like, **super** excited to learn more about it. She may even let me try to use it myself." Ruby says, excitement clear in her voice. Yang was doing everything she could to stifle her laughter and I immediately feel suspicious.

"Well then, I certainly hope you two manage to stay quiet while you're comparing so you don't wake the rest of the school. I bet she's just as excited to see your_ weapon_. Just try to keep it **PG** sis." She says, easily drawing reactions from us. Ruby is blushing hard while I proceed to smack my head against the side of the Bullhead repeatedly in an attempt to get the images that were flashing through my head to go away. The growing dent in the metal quickly demonstrates that the attempt was not working.

"U-um, I don't think it's a very good idea to damage the aircraft, miss." My impromptu brain-bleaching is interrupted when I hear a soft voice speak up. I turned to see a rabbit Faunus with long brown hair and chocolate brown eyes staring at the dent, worry clear in her eyes. She was shuffling in place nervously but was looking at me with a smile on her face. Looking carefully I also note a deep red blush on her cheeks and am horrified that she may have overheard Yang's crude remark. With the straightest face I can manage, I hitch a thumb behind me at Yang. "I am in no way related to her." I say plainly. Yang splutters while Ruby starts cracking up. I am pleased to hear her laughing and for some strange, annoying reason even more pleased when I heard the rabbit Faunus giggling too.

She wipes away tears before holding out her hand. "H-hello, my name is Velvet. Velvet Scarlatina." Velvet says, a grin on her face. I return her smile with my own, at which she strangely blushes, before reaching out and firmly grasping her hand. "Phiona Neverwind. It's a pleasure to meet you." I say. Both Ruby and I groan when we hear Yang speak up. "I'm sure the both of you would like it to be _your_ pleasure." She says. Velvet and my cheeks are aflame with color and suddenly we are having a hard time looking each other in the eye.

My heart is beating faster just like it did when I first met Ruby, only this time I was looking at Velvet. I once more slam my forehead into the Bullhead while one thought persists in my mind.

_What is happening to me?_

I think that last smack finally does it, because the world suddenly starts to spin around me before I fall to the ground. I can vaguely hear Velvet and Ruby speaking in rushed tones, indicating their panic, while Yang runs off for help. I feel a soft hand on my cheek and look up, only to find myself staring into two pairs of worried brown and silver eyes. Then everything goes black.

I wake up later to a soft pillow under my head, though it gave off a strange but not unwelcomed warmth. Not wanting to move yet, I contently rub my cheek against the pillow, breathing in the comforting scent of vanilla and mocha. I only wake up fully when I hear a startled 'eep' in response to my action and slowly turn my eyes upward.

Soft brown eyes accompanied by a bright red blush are what greet me before I bolt up straight, though I thought I heard a sound of… disappointment. I instantly scoot over a seat and allow my silver hair to fall in a curtain around my face to hide my blush, my tail flicking from side to side. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that." I look up when I hear the sound of shuffling feet before she sits next to me, running a calming hand through my hair while being careful to avoid my horns.

"It's okay, really. After the doctor looked at you after you passed out, he said you only disoriented yourself, so it was nothing serious. But you were fast asleep and we didn't want to wake you, so I brought you over to the bench so you could rest. I'll admit I was… surprised… when you laid your head on my lap, but it's no problem." I am shocked at the serious and _protective_ tone that she uses as she says this, but then smile at her. Behind the smile however, my mind was thinking entirely different thoughts.

_She's cute when she's serious._

She smiles back and is about to say something when I hear Ruby and Yang talking loudly over by the window. Slowly getting to my feet, I walk over next to them, Velvet right behind me. "I'm telling you Yang, I don't want to be treated like I'm special. I just want to be a normal girl with normal knees." I watch as Yang puts an arm around her shoulder before telling her that she is special. I smile as the action reminds me of my own little sister back in Atlas. When Ruby sees me, she is quick to practically weld herself to my hip. "Oh Phiona, you're okay. I was so worried that you might have been hurt." I blush once again at the physical contact and look back at Velvet. It came and went so fast that I almost missed it, but I'm almost certain that I saw a spark of… jealousy… in her eyes.

_What_?

"I'm okay Ruby. Really" I say, putting on the most reassuring face I could muster before Yang claps me on the back, practically sending me to the floor with the force. "Good to see you up and about Phiona." She says loudly. We are interrupted by a screen popping up on the window, showing the same orange-haired man from the other night. "The criminal, known as Roman Torchwick, was once again reported to be at the scene of yet another dust robbery. If you have any information regarding his whereabouts, please report them to the Vale Police Department. In other news, a Faunus protest in lower Vale turned ugly as…" I frown at seeing his smug smirk again, my tail digging into the metal of the floor in response to my unease.

I am surprised when yet another image pops up, this time of the angry blonde woman I had met alongside Prof. Ozpin. "Hello and welcome students." She begins. Yang looks at the hologram strangely. "Who's that?"… "My name is Glynda Goodwitch."… "Oh" She says. I snicker at her action, hearing Velvet giggling as well. Yang shoots us a playful stink eye, but then turns back to the hologram.

The hologram continues despite the short exchange. "You are among the privileged few chosen to attend this prestigious academy. Our world is experiencing an incredible time of piece and as future huntsman and huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage need for the task and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world." She says. And with that the hologram disappears.

Suddenly students start moving towards the windows, letting out expressions of awe as they look upon the magnificent academy. I giggle when I watch Ruby practically glue her face to the window as she looks out at the structure. "Look, you can see Signal from up here." She says happily. I move towards the window as well, curious to see the highly-esteemed academy for myself.

Ruby continues to speak, a nostalgic look in her eyes. "I guess home isn't too far after all." She says. The look on her face makes me want to hug her but Yang beats me to it. "Beacon's our home now." Yang says comfortingly. I hear someone groan and turn only to see a strange blonde boy charge past, his face a sickly green. "Well, I guess the view isn't for everyone." Yang says. I have to try hard not to laugh at Yang's words, though I silently sympathize with the boy. Motion sickness was far more common than people believed.

Ruby though looks happy for the distraction. "It was a nice moment while it lasted. I wonder who we're going to meet." She says, her tone thoughtful. Her words bring up the same thoughts in my mind as I was reminded that this was going to be my home for the next four years. I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see Velvet smiling reassuringly at me. I smile back at her, my heart racing once more as I place my hand over hers and squeeze lightly in thanks. She blushes and looks away, but doesn't let go, causing my smile to widen.

The moment is ruined however as I once again hear Ruby and Yang shouting. "Oh Yang, gross. You have puke on your shoes." Ruby says, backing away from her sister. "Gross, gross, gross, gross, gross." Yang says as she starts shaking her foot, trying to get rid of the sick before turning to Ruby for help. "Ach, Yang, get away from me, get away from me, get away from me, get away from me!" Ruby shouts, turning and running away from Yang who immediately gives chase. I laugh as I watch Ruby run around the ship trying to get away from Yang.

Maybe this won't be so bad after all.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: One for All and All for One**

I move out of the way as vomit boy runs down the ramp before grasping the waste bin there and losing his lunch. I cringe as the smell hits me and discreetly put distance between me and him. As different students pass by, I watch Ruby go wide-eyed before darting around to look at the different weapons being carried around. I myself was pleased to once again feel Kronos's familiar weight on my back.

Yang manages to pull Ruby back by her hood before she latched herself onto one of the poor students. "Easy there sis. They're just weapons." She says. Ruby somehow actually manages to look offended. "Just weapons!? They're an extension of ourselves. They're a part of us. Oh they're so cool." She shouts and I smile at her enthusiasm. Yang though only looks confused. "What about your own weapon. Aren't you happy with it?" She asks. Ruby pulls out her weapon and hugs it happily. "Of course I love Crescent Rose. I just really like seeing new ones. It's like meeting new people… but better." Ruby says shyly. I laugh at the look on Yang's face and can't help the wide smile that covers my face. I am still surprised at how much I've been doing that lately. Before it was such a rare occasion that I ever smiled, let alone laughed, even at home. It is a… nice feeling.

I notice Velvet having trouble getting a piece of her luggage off of the ship so I leave the group to go back and help her. She thanks me as I help her wheel what looks to be a weapon construction set down the ramp. My confusion apparently reaches my eyes as I look up at her, because she blushes and shuffles nervously in place. The complete and utter cuteness of the act still makes me want to reach out and hold her close to me.

_Where did that come from_!?

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts, I almost missed Velvet's words when she spoke. "I… haven't made my own weapon yet. I just didn't find a template that I liked back at Signal." She says. She lets out a squeak when I ruffle her hair, smiling at her. "It's okay. You just haven't' found the right one yet." I say. She just blushes hard and turns away, though she does follow me when I begin to walk back to the group. When we finally get back Ruby and Yang are already gone, though there is a suspicious crater now sitting where Ruby had been.

_Did she explode or something. _

A sound in the distance catches my attention however and I only have a seconds notice to grab Velvet and jump back as something comes flying past us. We end up in a heap of tangled limbs and hair, both blushing hard as we try to pull apart without yanking each other hair, or in my case, stabbing her with my horns or tail. When we finally do manage to pull apart, I look up to see a boy pulling himself out of a new crater in the ground. He has shoulder length, shaggy black hair and piercing red eyes that narrow upon seeing me and Velvet before widening as a new sound comes charging towards us.

He rolls out of the way just as two boot clad feet come crunching down on the area where he had been standing before, a cloud of dust shooting up from the impact. Before any of us can react, a blur shoots out of the cloud and has the strange boy in a stranglehold in a heartbeat. As the dust clears, the new figure makes herself known.

The girl has royal purple hair that falls down to her back in voluminous waves and a single gleaming turquoise eye that glimmers with amusement at the boy squirming beneath her. In place of her other eye was a black eye-patch emblazoned with what I assumed was the girl's symbol. Red flames and neon blue lightning circled each other menacingly, both fashioned into the shapes of dragons.

I was still trying to comprehend the situation before me, but luckily Velvet was already walking towards the two, me numbly following behind. "Um, I don't think you should be fighting on school grounds." Velvet says meekly. The two look up at us, as if only just now realizing our presence. The girl quickly lets the boy's head fall back to the pavement with a crunch that makes me wince before rubbing the back of her head sheepishly, though she makes no move to get off his back.

"Sorry about that, but I was proving a point to this bozo because he's dense as a rock." The strange girl says happily. Mumbling is heard from the boy as he tries to push himself up, only for the girl to force him back down with ease. She sticks out her hand, which I numbly grasp as a sense of the situation slowly came over me. "Name's Rouge Anistrata, and this sorry excuse for a man is Law Vulcanan." Rouge says. More mumbling is heard as Law tries once again to push himself up. Rouge apparently decides to take pity on him and got off of his back, allowing the boy to stand.

Now that I am no longer caught up in a complete stupor, I am able to get a decent look at the two. Clad in dark grey jeans, a neon lime muscle-shirt, a grey denim jacket, plain white running shoes, and black leather gloves, Law gives off the appearance of a level-headed, yet watchful outcast. Rouge on the other hand somehow manages to look his complete opposite. Wearing white jeans that tuck into white knee-high boots, a skin-tight navy blue t-shirt decorated with golden vines and flowers, and a burnt-orange cargo-jacket, everything about the girl screamed loud and proud. On a side note, I somehow also stand taller than both of them, which is a little disconcerting, though Law comes close to matching my height.

I feel an elbow in my side and see Velvet giving me a look before gesturing to the two. I shake myself out of my daze and give the two a smile. "My name is Phiona Neverwind. And this is my friend Velvet Scarlatina." I say. Velvet gives a wave at the two but stumbles back in surprise when Rouge is suddenly right in front of her, staring at her bunny ears. I unconsciously let out a low growl at her closeness to Velvet, but thankfully none but Velvet herself notice.

"They look so soft. Can I touch them? Can I please?" Rouge begs. Velvet looks very uncomfortable with the sudden attention and I could tell she and I both were pleased when Law came forward and wrapped a hand around Rouge's mouth before pulling her away as she flailed about. He shoots us a smile that seems apologetic as he shouts at us in the distance. "It was a pleasure meeting you two. I hope we see each other again." Law says as he drags Rouge away. Velvet and I both wince as we watch Rouge punch him in the nose. Hard.

I can't help but stare after them, dumbfounded. "That was… odd." I say. Velvet nods her head in agreement before looking around her. "Um, Phiona. Where are we?"

_Of course_.

I breathe a sigh of relief when we finally stumble into the main hall, panting and out of breath. Being Faunus doesn't really help considering we literally just ran all the way around the campus in order to find the right place to go. I see Ruby and her sister standing over in the crowd next to some white-haired girl, apparently arguing. I try to take a step forward only to collapse on my face, groaning in pain. I hear something that sounds like Velvet trying to laugh, but all that comes out are heavy breaths and wheezing.

I look up when I notice a hand in front of my face and am surprised to see that it is Rouge from earlier. I grasp her hand and am surprised at the ease with which she picks me up. I look back to see Velvet being supported by Law, who was now sporting a flashy white bandage on his nose. Another growl makes its way up my throat at his touching of her. I stop when I feel a finger flick my forehead and look at Rouge disbelievingly, though there is a glare thrown her way as well. She holds up her hands in a surrendering gesture, though I can tell she is more amused than scared.

"Easy there. Trust me, Law doesn't have any plans for your girlfriend. She isn't really his type. " She says confidently. Law looks at her as if she was out of her mind, though she just sends a sweet smile his way. "Oh, and what type might I be?" He asks. "Loud, quirky, fun, strong. Something along those lines." She says, only to get a scoff and an eye roll in return. Despite this, I am still blushing and stumbling over my own feet at Rouge's earlier words. Velvet isn't any better off, her rabbit ears bowed in a vain attempt to cover her red face.

The fact that neither of us deny it slips past us.

"PHIONA. PHIONA. Over here. We saved you and Velvet a seat." Ruby yells. I have to cover my ears due to Ruby's loud voice, though I thought I heard someone call her a dolt in response to her outburst, which makes my blood boil slightly. Rouge and Law decide to follow us, despite our assurances that we are fine. Rouge insists that she 'can't just leave our new friends behind to suffer the wrath of the unknown'. Honestly though she just dragged Law along if the shallow trenches in the floor leading to them was any indication.

Ruby was quick to wrap me up in a hug, which I accept, though at the same time I hear a growl that I know didn't come from me. It came from… Velvet!? I look back to find her staring intently at the floor, refusing to look at me. I whimper slightly, hurt in my voice and I knew she could hear it when she finally looked up into my eyes. She is about to speak up when another voice decides to make itself known.

"Ahem. I'll… keep this brief." The voice says. All eyes are immediately pointed towards the front where Prof. Ozpin and Prof. Goodwitch now stand. Strangely enough it seemed as though he had the exact same cup of coffee in his hands as the one he had when he found me and Ruby. "You have travelled here today to acquire knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you and all I see is wasted energy in need of purpose… direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this but your time at this school will prove that knowledge will only carry you so far. It is up to **you** to take the first step." He says flatly. I can't help but glance in Velvet's direction after hearing those words.

_Maybe I should_.

After he finishes speaking, Prof. Ozpin leaves the stage only for Prof. Goodwitch to step up. "You will gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed." She says before following after Prof. Ozpin. Most of the students just stand around for a few moments before starting to depart. Rouge is quick to grab my hand and begin dragging me towards the ball room while I yell for help. Meanwhile Law and Velvet just follow with amused smirks on their faces.

I vowed revenge. Eventually.

I look back and see Ruby, Yang, and the white-haired girl talking to vomit boy as I am dragged to my doom. My mind however is still troubled after what happened with Velvet. I need to find the time to talk to her about what was going on between us. And figure out what was going on with Ruby and my heart.

Sigh. _Welcome to Beacon_.

I sigh in relief as I lie down on the bed roll I had spread out, glad to finally be able to stay in one spot and rest for a moment. Rouge had insisted on completing a multitude of different tasks before Law had managed to drag her away again, though not without suffering another punch to his nose.

Being careful not to crush my tail, I look over to where Ruby and Yang were talking, my Faunus hearing managing to pick out some of their conversation. Most of what I could hear was about Ruby not being able to bring any of her friends to school, though I smile when Yang mentions me and Velvet being here despite the presence of some girl named Weiss.

_Speaking of Velvet_.

I watch as said girl hesitantly approaches me, bedroll in hand and glances at the spot next to mine. I roll my eyes in amusement and pat the spot next to me. She smiles and rolls out her own bedroll, though she doesn't actually lay down in it. Instead she just continues to look at me, indecision raging in her eyes. Once more I roll my eyes before speaking. "Don't be afraid to speak your mind, little bunny." I say comfortingly.

Velvet seems to jolt at this and when she looks back at me, I can see something warm and… _hungry_ in her gaze. I can honestly say my heart had never raced faster than in those few moments while I held her stare. "Phiona, could I… speak to you. In private." She asks, casting a glance towards the others in the room before offering to help me up. I look up at her curiously before accepting the hand.

She leads me through a door leading out into one of the many hallways branching off from the ballroom and closed it behind us. "So what did…?" I never get the chance to finish because the very moment I turned to face her, Velvet had grabbed me by the shoulders and slammed her lips against mine. Quickly catching on, I let a low rumble creep up my chest as I wrap my arms and tail around her and kiss her back just as fiercely. Eventually it becomes a grapple for dominance which ultimately ends with me having Velvet pressed against the wall, my lips held against hers as we both revel in the taste of the other. Burning orange meet chocolate brown as we continue on like this for several more minutes before finally breaking apart for air.

When we did, Velvet lays her head against my ample chest and lets out a contented sigh while I just continue to hold her. I was the first to speak. "Are you sure you want to do this? I might end up hurting you." I ask slowly, glancing down at her. She looks at me and the determination, the **love** in her eyes makes me want to hold her even tighter and never let go. "Phiona, you don't know how long I've wanted to do that. I know it sounds cliché, but ever since we met, it felt like something was calling me to you. You're a wonderful person. Sweet, shy, caring. And I am more than aware of the… consequences… our relationship might have. And I don't care. I want to be with you, even if the whole world is against us. So… can I call you my girlfriend?" She asks shyly.

I swear my cheeks were burning at the question and this was only reinforced when I hear Velvet giggling. In response I lean down and press my lips against hers once more, just reveling in the vanilla-like taste and softness they provided. I pull back and look at Velvet who had made the cutest little whining sound when I did so, and look her square in the eyes. "Does that answer your question?" I ask. In response, she just holds me tighter.

Looking back at the door leading to the ballroom, I speak up. "I think we should head back. I'm sure the others are wondering where we've gotten off to." I say. Velvet just nods in my arms and I nuzzle my face into her hair before planting a soft kiss on one of her rabbit ears, causing it to twitch slightly. They really are adorable. And fuzzy. Very fuzzy. As we walk back into the ballroom, I can see Ruby and Yang talking with the Faunus with the bow before the one known as Weiss came storming over, causing a big scene.

I completely ignore the noise and lay down on my bedroll, holding my arms open for Velvet. She blushes but lays down next to me, her forehead pressed against my chest and her rabbit ears tickling my face. I wrap my arms lovingly around her and nuzzle my nose into her hair, taking a deep breath of vanilla and mocha before sighing in contentment. I'm pleased when I feel her relax in my arms before her breath evens out indicating that she was asleep.

Maybe I really will enjoy my time here at Beacon. My confusion about my feelings for Ruby aside, I have everything I could ever want. I have friends like Ruby, Yang, Rouge, and Law. I have my family back in Atlas. I have my darling weapon Kronos.

And then I have my mate.

My wonderful little bunny.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The World is Not Ready**

I bolt awake as someone starts yelling "GOOD MORNING" across the room, accidently sending Velvet bouncing across the floor. She ends up in a grumbling heap and I instantly go over to help her up and apologize. When our eyes meet however, the memories of last night come flooding back and we both blush darkly. We both looked away and neither of us seemed willing to break the awkward silence. Thankfully Velvet was the first to speak, her words coming out stuttered. "U-um. So, last night… really happened, didn't it?" She asks. I blush even darker but manage to speak anyways. "Y-yes. It did. So, uh, are we actually…?" I start. I watched Velvet bow her head, but she nods. "W-well then. I suppose I should take you on a, uh, a date after all this is over. That's what couples do… right?" I ask. She nods again and I hold my hand out to her, which she shyly takes.

"Oooohhh, what did I miss last night that ended with this happening?" Rouge asks excitedly, popping out of nowhere and startling us both. I start to blush again as I notice her choice of nightwear, mainly consisting of baggy pajama bottoms covered in little cartoon tigers and a too-small tank-top. It really didn't leave a lot for the imagination. I start stuttering but am cut off as Law makes himself known by smacking Rouge in the back of the head with a pillow. "Leave em' alone Rou, they just woke up." He says, not even having time to react before Rouge drop-kicks him and starts childishly tugging on his cheeks.

Suddenly she stops before turning back to us, a large smile on her face. "Ah, we should probably go get ready for the initiation. It's going to start soon and we don't want to be late." She says, letting go of Law who just flops back down to the floor. He grumbles again before climbing to his feet and throwing on a shirt before heading towards the locker rooms, bag in hand. Rouge starts to follow after him before turning back to face us, an evil smile on her face.

"And don't think I've forgotten about that little moment a few minutes ago. I still want all the details after initiation." She says before cackling evilly and darting off in the direction of the lockers. "S-so, we should probably go get ready." I say, embarrassed. "Y-yeah." Velvet agrees, gripping the hem of her sandy brown nightgown lightly as she follows me to the lockers, where several kids are already preparing their gear.

I finish throwing on my black blazer-jacket over my long-sleeve purple blouse just as Velvet walks up to me, already geared up, minus a weapon of course. I look in the mirror to gauge my look and am pleased to say the least. Dark green jeans, black hiking boots, purple blouse and of course my black blazer-jacket emblazoned with my symbol all coming together to create my personal image.

"You look very nice." Velvet says, smiling as she looks me over appreciatively. I blush at her intense gaze but fight it back down as I reach in and grab Kronos, the dark green metal glinting in the light while the veins of purple energy pulsed lightly. "Um, excuse me. Might you be the one known as Phiona Neverwind?" A voice from beside me asks. I turn to see a red-haired girl approaching me with the Weiss girl from earlier in tow, looking noticeably irritated. I blush at the attention but answer nonetheless.

"Um, yes, that's me. Why do you ask?" I ask, trying to avoid the glare Weiss is giving me. The redhead's eyes start to sparkle as she gives me a smile. "Can I have your autograph please?" She asks, looking excited. "Pyrrha, what are you doing. Why would you want an autograph from this… ruffian?" Weiss asks, looking shocked. Velvet gives Weiss a glare at calling me a ruffian, but doesn't say anything.

Pyrrha looks horrified at Weiss's words before managing to calm herself, taking deep breaths before speaking. "This… is Phiona Neverwind. Champion of the Atlas Grand Coliseum for five years in a row, the greatest competition held between hunters and huntresses from across all four nations. Only the best of the best from each nation are invited. I've only been invited once since I became a huntress in training." She says, and I have to refrain from laughing at the dumbstruck look on Weiss' face. Pyrrha then turns back to me after grabbing a piece of paper and a pen and holding it out to me. "Please?" She asks. I chuckle before signing my name on the paper and handing it back to her.

She's about to say something else when the vomit boy from the Bullhead decides to join our little group. "You know what's really great. Me, Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you." Jaune says, leaning on the lockers. "You again." Weiss says, looking annoyed. "Nice to meet you Jaune." Pyrrha says before being pushed aside by Jaune. Poor girl. "Yeah, yeah. So, Weiss. I couldn't help but overhear your fondness of me the other day." He says while Weiss merely buries her face in her hand. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me." She says, irritation clear in her voice. "Don't worry. There's no need to be embarrassed. So I've been hearing rumors about teams and I think you and me would make a good one. What do you say?" Jaune asks, obviously ignorant of Weiss's growing frustration. I share a look with Velvet as it seems we're both on the same page of where this is going.

"Actually, I think the teams are comprised of four students each, so…" Pyrrha starts. "You don't say. Well, hot stuff, play your cards right and maybe you could end up on the winning team." Jaune says, though he's immediately cut off as Weiss places herself between Jaune and Pyrrha. "Jaune, is it? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" Weiss asks, trying to look patient. "Not in the slightest, snow angel." He says bluntly. "This is Pyrrha." Weiss says. "Hello again." Pyrrha says. I glance over and see Ruby and Yang glancing in our direction, worried looks on their faces. I nudge Velvet and look over towards them, hoping she gets my silent signal. Thankfully she does and heads over towards them while I turn my attention back to the group at hand. A quick glance around shows that Rouge and Law are nowhere to be found, though I could've sworn I saw a flash of purple hair around the corner.

Weiss continues as though nothing happened. "Pyrrha here graduated top of her class here at Sanctum." She says. "Never heard of it." Jaune says flatly. "She's won the Mistral Regional Tournaments four years in a row. A new record." Weiss says. "The what?" Jaune says while I feel like banging my head against the lockers at his ignorance. Of course, unlike the Bullhead, I'm sure my horns would get stuck in these hollow lockers. Weiss is understandably angry, even going so far as to flail her arms as she starts yelling. "She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box." She yells. Jaune gasps before pointing a finger at Pyrrha. "That's you!? They only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters." He gushes.

**BANG**.

Pyrrha, Weiss, and Jaune look to see me hopelessly trying to dislodge my horns from the now impaled lockers, my tail flicking erratically. I pause only long enough to look at them sheepishly before going back to the task at hand.

_Evil, evil lockers, thou shalt relinquish mine horns_.

They slowly turn back to face each other before returning to their conversation, acting as though I wasn't even there. _Oh sure, leave the poor girl with horns literally stuck in a locker door and continue talking. No worries_. At least Velvet and Yang were kind enough to come over and try to pull me out. "Anyways, it was pretty cool. Though the cereal isn't very good for you." Pyrrha says, also ignoring me. _And I gave you an autograph_! "So, after hearing all this, do you really think you're in any position to ask her to be on your team?" Weiss asks, causing Jaune to look downcast. "I guess not. Sorry." He says before Pyrrha approaches him. "Actually Jaune, I think you'd make a great leader." She says encouragingly. "Oh stop." He gushes again. "Seriously, please stop it. This kind of behavior should not be encouraged." Weiss says in a chastising tone.

Jaune then pulls a 180 and turns to Weiss, a smirk on his face. "Sounds like Pyrrha's onboard Team Jaune. Spots are filling up quick. Now I'm not supposed to do this, but maybe I can pull some strings, find a place for you. What do you say?" Jaune asks, getting closer to Weiss, who backs up. "Ok, that's a little too close. Pyrrha, a little help please?" Weiss asks pleadingly, looking at Pyrrha. The next thing I know, Jaune is stuck to a pillar with Pyrrha's spear piercing his hoody. "I'm sorry." Says Pyrrha.

Suddenly, the intercom kicks on and Prof. Goodwitch's voice speaks picks up. "Would all first year students please report to Beacon cliff for initiation? Again, would all students please report to Beacon cliff for initiation?" She says before the intercom cuts out again. Weiss and Pyrrha immediately go to leave the locker room, pulling her spear out of the wall at the same time. "It was nice meeting you." She says as she leaves.

Thankfully, Yang and Velvet's combined efforts are finally able to maneuver my horns out of the twisted metal of the locker. I gently rub my horns and wince at the tinge of pain that shoots through my head. Velvet giggles at my expression and I glare at her, though I forgive her when she stands on her toes and plants a light kiss on one of my horns. Yang starts to say something but a groan from Jaune pulls her attention away.

She and Ruby go to help him up while a familiar purple-head suddenly pops into view. "Wow. That was something wasn't it." Rouge says quietly, looking in the direction that Weiss and Pyrrha went. I turn a glare in her direction and she holds up her hands in surrender, a peculiar pair of cuffs now adorning her wrists. "And where were you while I was caught in the crossfire?" I demanded. It was Law who spoke up. "We had to go hunt down our lockers because Rou forgot where they were." He says, also sporting six strange compact weapons on his back and hips.

Rouge smacks him on the back of the head, causing me to wince. "Don't tell her that. We should be going anyways, there's an initiation to do after all." She says before skipping out of the room, dragging a reluctant and slightly terrified Law behind her. Shaking my head, I turn and head over to where Velvet, Ruby, Yang, and Jaune are waiting. Yang immediately asks the question that apparently everyone was thinking. "What was that all about?" She asks. I shrug and start walking towards the cliffs, the others behind me.

"Who knows, I doubt I'll ever really understand what goes through that girl's head." I say, though inwardly I'm grinning.

Initiation, here we come.

I take my position on a launch pad as the rest of the potential students make their way out to the cliffs. Some look anxious, some look eager, and some look downright terrified. Jaune apparently happens to fall into the latter category. The students grow silent as Prof. Ozpin and Prof. Goodwitch make their way to the front of the group. Ozpin looks over the students before speaking.

"For years, you have trained to become warriors. Today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin says before Prof. Goodwitch takes over. "Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates. Today." Prof. Goodwitch says. I hear Ruby despair slightly to my far left. It doesn't help that my plate is the second to last in the line, with Jaune being on the last one.

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon, so it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well. That being said, the next person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next for years." Ozpin says. I cringe as I hear Ruby cry out and just barely make out someone saying 'See, I told you' further down the line. "After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die. You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You fill find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will note that relic and your standing and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?" Ozpin asks.

Jaune hesitantly raises his hand. "Yeah, um, sir?" He starts. "Good, now, take your positions." Ozpin says, causing the students around me to start taking various launching positions. I myself crouch down and place one hand on Kronos's hilt and the other palm flat against the ground for maximum distance and velocity. Looking over, I see Jaune raising his hand in another attempt to ask his question while not bothering to take a launching position. "Um, sir, I've got a, um, a question." He says as they begin launching the students. "So this landing strategy thing, uh, what is it. You're, like, dropping us off or something." He asks. "No, you will be falling." Ozpin says, clearly amused. I watch as Rouge launches into the air, what looks like blue energy coursing around her as she disappears into the forest while Law merely flies off quietly.

"Oh, I, uh, see. So, did you, like, hand out parachutes for us?" He asks and I roll my eyes. "No, you will be using your own landing strategy." Ozpin says.

I look back at him and smile before my own launch pad activates, sending me hurdling into the sky. I hear Jaune's sounds of panic behind me and I laugh before looking down at the forest below me.

Let the games begin.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: When We Stand Together**

As I fall I pull Kronos out of its sheath and activate its complete projectile mode. The six faces lift up and slide back slightly, revealing the silver coils wrapped around the four main prongs of the singularity cannon. Purple sparks lance between the spikes on the faces, closely resembling lightning as I quickly aim and pull the trigger, firing several masses of dark energy in rapid succession. The masses then expand and swallow up the trees in my path before shrinking and blowing purple energy outwards, flattening several other trees. I harden my Aura before I hit the ground, creating a small crater beneath me when I do.

I stand up and blow off the steam coming from the tip of Kronos, smiling.

You just have to love a good old-fashioned black-hole launcher.

I look up as I hear the sound of bombshells going off and am only just able to catch a glimpse of blonde hair before the person rockets over the remaining trees in the area.

_Was that… Yang_?

A rumbling from below me shakes me from my thoughts and I jump out of the way just as an enormous sickle-like claw erupts from the ground right where I had been standing only moments before. I roll to a stop and hold Kronos at the ready, only to be horrified as more of the ground begins to erupt upwards as the beast makes more of itself known.

Standing at well over 40-50 ft. tall, the creature resembled and enormous praying mantis with eight bony legs and four sickles like blades. Without warning the creature reared back and roared before sending its sickles towards me, giving me little time to roll out of the way as the monstrous blades carve trenches in the ground. Pulling out Kronos, I rush forward and slam it against the beast's leg, cracking the armor and sending it reeling backward. It goes to swing at me again, but I'm quicker and smash Kronos against two more of its legs, cracking one and shattering the armor on the other. Before I can strike another blow it rears back and slams its legs into the ground, sending me flying with a shockwave.

I slam into one of the upturned pieces of rock and Kronos goes skittering across the ground away from me. The creature roars in triumph before sending it sickle flying down towards me. Before it hits however, several large fireballs come roaring from the forest and slam into its side, scorching the armor and sending it stumbling to the side. It is unable to regain its footing before an orange and white blur slams into its head, cracking its mask and knocking it over.

Familiar white boots crunch into the ground near me and a hand is lowered in front of my face. I grasp it and the owner pulls me to my feet. "Ugly thing, ain't it?" Rouge asks, sending a grin my way. "It certainly isn't going to win any pageants, that's for sure." I say, smiling back before looking at her looking at her weapons. They were a pair of clawed metal gauntlets covering her arms from fingertips to her shoulders, small blades running the length of the metal. The tips of the talons were glowing a bright green in conjuncture with the glowing neon-green circles on the back of each hand, starkly contrasting the dark black of the metal.

She apparently notices my interest, because she laughs and flexes her clawed hands, the metal screeching at the show of obvious hidden strength. We're interrupted as the creature stands back up, roaring in rage before charging towards us, sickles flying forward. Rouge smirks at me before extending her hands outward. "Go get your little boom stick, Gecko. Durga Duet and I'll hold this guy off." She says as the lights on her gauntlets begin to shine bright blue, electricity shedding off her body in waves. Immediately several massive arcs of lightning shoot out before striking the creature, coursing over its armored body, staggering it.

At this I dart towards where Kronos is lying, jumping over fallen rubble and raining debris before reaching it. Rolling out of the way of another sickle, I ready Kronos firing mode, charging the shot until it's at half power before sending it off. It slams into the creature's side, sucking in two of its right legs and a portion of its thorax, though that only seems to slow it down as it sweeps its sickles forward, beheading several trees in the process and just barely grazing Rouge's side. It is enough to send her sliding across the ground however, though thankfully her aura manages to take the brunt of the hit.

I notice a ravine not too far behind the creature and a plan already begins to formulate in my mind. "Rouge, fireball mode. Throw as many as you can at it and push it back towards the canyon." I shout over the roaring of the beast. Rouge nods and immediately switches to fire mode, green flames licking up the sides of the gauntlets before forming into fireballs in each hand before flying towards the beast, slamming into its face. All the while it is slowly backing up under the constant assault of flames.

As its back legs scrabble over the edge, I see my chance and dart forward. It swings its sickles at me and I jump over or slide under any that come too close. Just as I've almost reached it, it opens its mandibles and an orange light begins to grow at the back of its throat before it drops its head to the ground.

I'm so surprised I don't even have the chance to move aside as a beam of orange light shoots towards me, incinerating anything it touches. "Phiona!" Rouge yells, beginning to run forward. My eyes zero in on its face as I activate my semblance, the world drawing to a halt around me. The beam stops mere feet away from me and I run around it and continue towards its face while releasing my semblance, the beam resuming its path so close to me that I can feel the heat of it.

I latch onto one of the spines protruding from its head as it stands back to its full height, swinging its head in an attempt to shake me off. I swing my tail around and stab the spear tip into the creature's eye, blinding it, before releasing my grip on the spike and flying upward. It lets loose a roar of pain before sending its sickles flying up towards me. I activate my semblance again and the sickles slow to a stop as I tightly grip Kronos' hilt, the weapon back in its melee form already, vent roaring. I let the momentum build for a few seconds before releasing my semblance and shooting downward towards the creatures head while its sickles fly past me, one just barely grazing my cheek, drawing blood.

I pull my arm back and then let Kronos swing forward, slamming into the creatures face. The force of the blow proves to be too much for the cliff face as it starts to crumble underneath the beast, its legs scrabbling to find purchase on the falling rocks. I leverage myself on the creature's head and jump off before the rest of its body follows its legs into the pit, the roars echoing on the way down.

I land on the ground and roll to a stop before face-planting in the dirt, groaning. Even if I hadn't actually suffered any major injuries in the fight, I still had quite a few burns, cuts, and sore muscles. Rouge plops down next to me, looking at the now silent ravine before falling backwards onto her back. "So we're partners now?" She asks. I manage to roll myself onto my back as well, letting out a sigh of relief at the feeling of cool earth. "Yeah. Though we'll still need to get those relics. It won't do us any good to just lay here, wondrous as that would be." I grumble, pushing myself into a sitting position. Rouge groans before pulling herself to her feet, myself following after. "Come on. I'm pretty sure I saw that temple they were talking about before I had to come save your sorry tail." Rouge says before walking off in a random direction. I mumble darkly before following after.

At least this is almost over.

"Hey, we're here." Rouge says and I glumly look up to see the old stone temple rising up before us. My eyes brighten however when I see two familiar figures already standing amongst the supposed relics, one more liked than the other. I start running towards them, tears in my eyes, before tackling Velvet to the ground and covering her in kisses. "You don't know how happy I am to see you!" I moan, crying dramatically into her shoulder. She giggles while awkwardly patting my back. "There, there. I'm happy to see you too. Now come on, up you go." She says, climbing to her feet, pulling me along with her.

Law scoffs before Rouge smacks him across the back of the head. When he glares at her, she merely smiles sweetly before walking over to one of the pedestals with a relic still on it. "Really. Chess pieces. They couldn't have thought of something a little more creative." Rouge says as she picks up a black queen piece before pocketing it. "I highly doubt they're going to use anything of actual value out here. Chess pieces actually make sense." Law says, though everyone mostly ignores him.

"We should get going. I'm sure most of the other teams are already back at the cliffs." I say, pointing at the cliffs further ahead of the temple.

Before anyone can say anything however, the ground starts to shake in a very familiar way and I frown in irritation. _Oh, you have to be kidding me_.

Stones and pieces of column surge upwards as a **very** familiar monster breaks through the ground, sickles digging into the rocky shelf so it could pull itself out of the newly created hole. I stomp in front of the group and angrily point my finger at the beast that is now most assuredly glaring at us.

"Didn't we kill you already?!" I shout and Law chuckles. "You certainly know how to make interesting friends, Gecko." He says. I round on him, my anger still burning. "Up yours." I shout. The creature apparently doesn't have the patience for our banter because it immediately charges up its beam and lets it loose across the temple. We all dash out of the way and prepare to do battle with the creature. I'm shocked when cracks begin spreading across its shell allowing orange flames to burst out in multiple places. It lets loose a roar and charges us, flames growing with its anger.

Before it can reach us however, it slams into a screen of what appears to be green glass. I'm surprised to see Velvet struggling to hold the shield up as the massive creature pushes against it, sickles clawing at the shield. Suddenly a shot rings out and one of the sickles goes flying, detached from the creature's arm in a spray of black blood. Law walks forward from behind Velvet's barrier, the five remaining constructs on his back being enveloped in a dark red glow before levitating beside him.

In a flash, they mecha-shift into five double-bladed battleaxes resembling the one held in his hands, the large blades stretching halfway down the shaft. Red flames then erupt from the edges of each blade head, coating them in a deadly shell of searing energy. Law's eyes glint dangerously as a maniacal smirk makes its way onto his face. "I hope you're ready to face judgement, for Asura's Wrath will have no mercy." He says before darting forward faster than I can track, the six battleaxes carving grooves through the beast's already cracked and broken armor. The beast roars before the flames coming from its body rise higher and farther, though they just glance off of Law's aura.

The creature then begins to stomp all of its remaining legs on the ground, creating multiple shockwaves that ravage the surrounding area. Law stumbles back but manage to keep his balance long enough to mecha-shift his weapons back into shotguns before aiming them at the creature's legs. The shots ring out and pieces of the armor fall off in droves, though it does little to actually faze the creature. My eyes narrow as I watch the flames surrounding the creature burn even hotter than before as it screeches in pain, before widening in realization.

The beast was turning itself into a rage-fueled time bomb.

And with the size of it, it would take a nice-sized chunk out of the surrounding area. With us still in it. We need to get it as far away from here as possible. I watch as Law and Rouge both hammer away at the creature with fireballs and shotgun shells, keeping it distracted. My eyes are then drawn to the creature's now vulnerable legs, the armor long since sheared off by my own and Law's attacks. Hefting Kronos in my hands, I feel a plan starting to come together. The creature then lets loose several weaker, consecutive beams that succeed in forcing Rouge and Law back.

My mind snaps into focus as I see Velvet dart forward and throw up a shield between the creature and them, a solid plan in mind. "Rouge, throw as many fireballs as you can manage. Keep it distracted. Law, go for its legs. I want that thing crippled yesterday!" I shout as I begin charging up energy into Kronos, the vents letting loose clouds of purple energy.

Rouge nods and begins flinging countless green fireballs at the creature, drawing its attention as it starts swinging its remaining sickles at her. Law glares at me but shifts his shotguns back into battleaxes, the blades aflame once more, before darting forward to hack at its legs, the flaming blades of his axes easily biting into the exposed flesh. After a time the last two legs creak and snap letting the creature's main body fall to the ground.

"Rouge, catch it and hurl it up!" I shout. She looks at me like I'm crazy but dashes forward and raises her hands to catch the burning creature. Sparks of lightning shoot out of her gauntlets as she groans with the effort it takes to hold the beast up. She then tenses her muscles before throwing the creature skyward. "Velvet, kick it towards me." I shout. She looks uncertain but takes a running start before leaping up and lands a roundhouse kick to the floating creature, sending it flying towards me.

The energy in Kronos is now at full capacity and fit to burst, purple flames shooting out of the vents in its sides as the metal groans with the strain of holding so much power. The energy is coursing around me, my hair waving wildly in the building pressure. Orange eyes gleaming, I watch as the beast comes soaring towards me and wait until it is mere feet away before activating my semblance. The creature's body slows to a stop, its jaws frozen open as it prepares one final beam attack.

I tap Kronos against the tip of my shoes a few times before settling into position, both hands gripping Kronos as I prepare for the swing. Smirking, I release my semblance, eyes tracking the creature as it continues on its path towards me.

And then I let fly.

Kronos roars through the air, the energy finally having a way out, before slamming into the beast's shell. If one were to look closely, it would seem as though the creature was bending **around** Kronos as it kept moving forward, the flames from its vents not yet exhausted. I wince as I hear several cracks and pops coming from my arms as I fight to hold Kronos steady. The ground underfoot crunches from the opposing forces before the creature rockets off in the opposite direction. Mere seconds later, a massive explosion lights up the sky, the shockwave hitting only moments later. The force of the explosion blows us all backwards and somehow I end up stuck in a tree, my hair tangled in the branches.

And then, despite injuries and exhaustion, I start laughing and am soon joined by the other three while only one thought swims through my mind.

_Now __**that's**__ how you kill a Grimm_.


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay, I've apparently forgotten to do this before so I will do it now. **

**Disclaimer: As much as I wish I did, I do not own RWBY as it is property of Monty Oum (May he rest in peace) and Rooster Teeth**

**Chapter 6: A New Team Shines**

I shift uncomfortably in my seat as I watch four more students walk up onto the stage, a grimace twisting my face as I cradle my broken arm. Apparently channeling enough power to match the combined propulsion of the thruster systems of fifteen Bullheads and then holding it back isn't exactly good for one's health. My reward for my good deed was a broken arm and dislocated shoulder, which still hurt terribly. I let out a sigh before looking back towards the stage where the four armor clad guys were being named a team.

"Russell Thrush, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing, Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as… team CRDL. Led by… Cardin Winchester." Ozpin says, and I swear the smug smirk on that Cardin fellows face somehow grew even wider. I get the distinct feeling that he and I will not get along well in the future.

Next Jaune, Pyrrha and two others that I don't climb the stage. "Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as… team JNPR. Led by… Jaune Arc." Ozpin says, and I have to stifle a laugh as I watch Jaune stumble in surprise. "E-eh, led by?" He asks. "Congratulations, young man." Ozpin says. Rouge busts out laughing beside me as Pyrrha playfully punches Jaune's arm and accidentally knocks him over.

The next group to climb on stage has me cheering loudly along with the rest of the crowd, though I wince in pain when someone accidentally bumps into my bad arm. "Easy there Phiona, you just got out of the infirmary. Don't send yourself back so soon." Rouge says, chuckling at my despairing expression. "Yes, because I love getting injured." I mutter, though I'm grinning just as much as she is. "Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, and Yang Xia Long. The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as… team RWBY. Led by… Ruby Rose." Ozpin says, an actual smile on his face. I start cheering again and Rouge and Velvet join me, though Law stays silent. There's a glimmer of amusement in his red eyes though that hint at his real emotions.

I stand as I hear the next few names being called, though I have to help Rouge to her feet and allow her to lean on my shoulder. She wasn't as in bad a shape as I was, but the beast from Initiation still managed to do a number on her too. Thankfully Velvet and even Law were mostly unharmed due to Velvet's barriers and Law's taking on the beast after it was already half-dead. We all walk onto the stage as Ozpin reads out the last of the names and teams.

"Rouge Anistrata, Velvet Scarlatina, Phiona Neverwind, and Law Vulcanan. You four retrieved the black queen pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as… team PVRL. Led by… Phiona Neverwind." Ozpin says. I hear Ruby and Yang cheering in the crowd, possibly even Pyrrha and I can't help but smile and wave. Rouge immediately envelops me in a hug, though she is careful to avoid my arm. Velvet gives her a steely glare but she just laughs it off before bounding over to Law to bother him.

Sending one more glare Rouge's way, Velvet wanders over to me and wraps her arms around my torso, nuzzling into my chest. "I'm glad to see you're okay. Even if you aren't technically in one piece." She says and I kiss the top of her head, chuckling. "There's no need to worry. So long as there's breath in my lungs, I'll find a way back to you." I say, holding her in a one-armed embrace. "I know." She says, her cheeks tinged red.

Ozpin chuckles as he looks over the spectacle and I send a mock glare his way, causing him to grin. "Looks like things are shaping up to be an… interesting year." He says, taking a sip of his coffee. I just ignore him and continue to hold my little bunny, her fuzzy rabbit ears tickling my nose.

I just want to enjoy the moment.

My face scrunches up in a frown as an irritating noise hits my ears, slowly bringing me from my time of wonderful slumber. My tail twitches in frustration as my ears home in on the source of the noise. Finding it, I let a sleepy grin cross my face as my tail rears back before lashing out.

CHINK.

"Success." I mumble before burying my face in my pillow once more.

And then someone pours icy water on me.

"AAAHHH. COLD." I yell, attempting to jump out of my bed only for my feet and tail to get caught in the blanket, resulting in me ending up in a tangled heap on the floor, my bad arm thankfully not the one on the floor. I can't wait until it heals in a day or two. I look up to see Law's displeased face leering over me, an empty pitcher being evidence of his crimes. "I don't care how annoying that alarm clock was, there was no reason for you to impale it." He says, annoyance in his voice. I look at him with a confused expression and he points at the tip of my tail. I turn to look at it and sure enough, the poor piece of machinery is skewered on the spear tip of my tail.

"I suggest you get another before tomorrow otherwise it'll be an icy wake up call for you every morning until you do." He says threateningly, his face shaded. I shiver in fear and quickly nod my head. "Good. Now get ready. Class starts in an hour." Law says as he walks back to the kitchen area to put the pitcher away.

I glare at him as he walks away, hoping to burn a hole through his back. I hear him chuckle before he turns to address me. "Might want to stop staring. Your girlfriend might get jealous." He says mockingly, opening the cupboard and putting the pitcher in. Seconds later, the remains of the alarm clock hit him in the back of the head before falling into the nearby trash can. "Swish and she makes it." Rouge shouts as she throws her arms up and cheers. Law turns to see Rouge and I staring at him with angelic, innocent faces, bereft of any guilt. Rouge laughs at his expression before heading into the kitchen after him

While Law and Rouge work on fixing breakfast, which mainly consists of Law keeping Rouge away from any sort of electrical appliance, I walk over to Velvet's bed and gently shake her awake. "Come on, little bunny. You need to get up." I say. "Five more minutes." She yawns, not even bothering to open her eyes.

A devious idea makes its way into my head and I lean down and plant a series of kisses along her cheekbone down to her collarbone, making sure to nibble lightly in spots with my sharp teeth. She immediately bolts up, cheeks beet red and panting before she turns a glare in my direction. I smile sweetly at her and kiss her forehead. "Not the worst way to wake up, wouldn't you say?" I ask cheekily. She huffs but does smile at me.

Several minutes later we're all ready and sitting around, bored. "Ugh, Class isn't for another half-hour. Why did you have to wake us up so early Law?" Rouge groans. "We do have to decorate, don't we? Or are you planning on living in a plain white room for the next four years?" Law asks, chuckling at Rouge's horrified expression. Immediately she jumps to her feet, Law's neck in a stranglehold and arm held high. "To arms, my friends. To arms. We must defeat the atrocious bland beast known as the plain room." She yells before flying into action.

The room is soon in a total maelstrom of chaos as Law, Rouge, and Velvet dart around placing things in their proper spots. Velvet places her weapon construction set and table against the far wall, the large set taking up most of the space. She then places several stuffed animals and a beanbag chair in the remaining corner. Law sets out a few dumbbells and weights in his corner and places a large stereo system against the opposite wall. Rouge busies herself hanging navy blue curtains with gold vine and flower designs as well as hanging several pictures of her and Law between their beds.

I chuckle at their enthusiasm as I set up my bookshelves. The last item I set out is a picture of my sister. I have to hold back a laugh as I look at her hair. I'll never understand why she chose to dye half of it brown and leave the other half her natural pink. To match her eyes I suppose. I still love her either way but I swear sometimes she really just comes up with the craziest ideas.

After the storm subsides, we all stand in front of the room, looking concerned. Law has his face in his hands groaning while Velvet and Rouge just look excited. Our beds were all cramped together, with practically no space surrounding them. "No, no, no, no…" Law mutters over and over while Rouge and Velvet just get more excited.

"BUNK BEDS!" They yell in unison before rushing forward.

A few minutes later and my bed is on top of Velvets, safely bolted together while Rouge's and Laws are bound by several layers of colorful duct tape. "One of these days, Rou. One of these days your ideas are going to be the end of me." Law mutters darkly. "Aw, don't be so glum. Besides, we need to get to class while we still have about fifteen minutes. We don't want to have to rush there because we waited until the last minute." Rouge says as she grabs the back of Law's collar and drags him out of the room, tears streaming down his face.

_It was a pain knowing you my friend. _

_Revenge is oh so sweet_.

Laughing, I turn to Velvet and offer my good hand. "Shall we away, my lady?" I ask. She laughs and gives a slight curtsy. "Yes we may, my proud knight." She says, taking my hand.

Today was going to be great.

"Monsters, demons, prowlers of the night. Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names. But I merely refer to them as prey, HAHA." Says Prof. Port as he begins his lecture. I look worriedly at Ruby as she starts to nod off, as she obviously doesn't see Weiss's growing frustration. "And you shall too upon graduating from this prestigious academy. Now, as I was saying, Vale as well as the other three kingdoms, are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world. Our planet is absolutely teeming with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you to pieces. Huntsman, huntresses." Prof. Port says, winking at me. I cringe while Velvet inches closer to me, her eyes glaring at Prof. Port.

"Individuals who have sworn to protect those who cannot protect themselves. From what you ask? Why, the very world." Prof. Port says. For a moment, there is silence. "Aeeyup." A voice says. And then that silence is gone. "And that is what you are training to become. Now, I know most of you were eagerly looking forward to hearing a story about a great huntsman, such as myself. However, after reviewing footage from the initiation period, I believe I have found something more beneficial to your education to show in class today. Footage of a great and terrible Grimm that has rarely ever been seen before, and the mighty huntsman and huntresses that managed to bring it down. The lights, if you please." Prof. Port says as he walks to the side of the classroom.

A screen unrolls at the front of the room and the lights flicker off. Rouge nudges my side and points toward the screen. "This is gonna be good. First day in class and we get to watch a movie instead of doing work." She say, rubbing her hands together in anticipation. Soon the film starts to roll and I'm shocked to see that is my and Rouge's fight with the strange creature.

I can see Ruby and Pyrrha looking at me and the screen excitedly while Weiss looks angry of all things. Velvet cringes as the beast sweeps me aside with its sickle and I wrap my arm around her. She presses closer to my side and wraps her arms around me, as if afraid I might disappear. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere." I whisper.

Prof. Port walks closer the screen, gesturing to it as he begins to speak. "This, dear students, is a Nightcrawler. It is an ancient Grimm that makes its home far beneath the surface of our world, rarely every breaching the surface. Its shell is able to easily repel most physical attacks while the blades on its arms are sharp enough to cleave through solid stone. Perhaps its most lethal ability, however, is its unnatural attunement to the element of fire. Housing a biological furnace within its body, the Nightcrawler is able to produce powerful beam attacks that can melt through most known metals. Luckily however, there have been less than five reported sightings of these creatures in the past six years. "Prof. Port says as the film ends with me batting the Nightcrawler into the sky.

"The Nightcrawler easily ranks among the Nevermore and Deathstalker as an S-class Grimm. To defeat such beasts, one must be honorable, dependable and most importantly, strategic, well-educated and wise. So, who among you believes themselves to be the embodiment of these traits?"

"I do sir." Weiss shouts, hand raised to the air. I catch her sending a glare towards Ruby and me. "Well then. Let's find out. Step forward and face your opponent." Prof. Port says, gesturing to a large cage on the other side of the room. I share a glance with Rouge and Velvet as Weiss makes her way to the center of the classroom before turning my eyes back to the front. I see Law watching Weiss carefully with a critical eye, face set in a stony frown. So he must see the same thing we do.

Weiss takes her position on one end of the room and settles into a traditional fencing stance, eyes trained on the cage at the far end. "Go Weiss!" Yang shouts. "Fight well." Blake says, waving a small flag. _Where did she even get it_? "Yeah, represent team RWBY!" Ruby yells. "Ruby, I'm trying to focus." Weiss chides. My frown deepens at this. _Doesn't seem like she's ever had to be a team player before_. "Oh, sorry." Ruby whispers, looking downcast. I look at her sadly. _Poor Ruby_. "Alright. Let the match… begin." Prof. Port shouts, using his Blunderaxe to open the cage. A Boarbatusk comes charging out, eyes instantly focusing on Weiss.

The Boarbatusk charges Weiss, who merely uses a glyph to flip over it before the two square off again. "HAHA, wasn't expecting that were you?" Prof. Port says. "Hang in there Weiss." Ruby shouts and I smile. _You go girl_. Weiss dashes towards the Boarbatusk but ends up getting her weapon stuck in its tusks and the two begin to struggle over the weapon. "Come on Weiss, show it whose boss." Ruby says. Weiss glances at Ruby for a mere second and that is all the time the Boarbatusk needs to wrench her weapon away from her before knocking her away. "Hoho, what will you do now without your weapon?" Prof. Port asks.

The Boarbatusk charges her again but she manages to roll out of the way, causing the Boarbatusk to slam into the arena wall and flip over. Weiss takes this chance to rush over and grab her weapon before getting back into her combat position. "Weiss, go for its belly. There's no armor underneath." Ruby says. "Stop telling me what to do!" Weiss yells. The Boarbatusk leaps up and curls into a ball before rolling towards Weiss, armor and tusks scraping against the floor. Before it impacts, Weiss raises a shield glyph and knocks the Boarbatusk over before leaping into the air and driving her rapier into its belly. "Bravo, bravo. It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true huntress in training." Prof. Port says. "I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Remember to cover the assigned readings and stay vigilant. Class dismissed. "Prof. Port says as the students begin to file out of the room.

My team and I, as well as the rest of Ruby's team stay behind however, as things aren't looking good between Weiss and Ruby. Ruby hesitantly approaches Weiss on the arena, Prof. Port watching silently from his desk where he is busy sorting papers. "Weiss!" She calls out as Weiss turns and faces her. "What Ruby!" Weiss growls. "What's wrong with you?" Ruby asks, worried and maybe even a little angry. I eye them both carefully, worry clear in my gaze.

"What's wrong with me?! What's wrong with you? The entire time I was in that ring, you were shouting at me and trying to order me around. I wouldn't have been so distracted if I hadn't had to listen to you prattling on. You're supposed to be a leader and so far all you've been is a nuisance." Weiss shouts, causing Ruby to take a step back, eyes wide before narrowing. "What did I do? All I've been doing is trying to help." Ruby retorts. "Help. HELP! Ruby, I was nearly gored at least three times in that fight because of you. How do you call that help?" Weiss yells. "Uh, maybe you should calm down princess." Yang says, eyes narrowed at Weiss's accusations.

Weiss however simply turns on Yang, eyes still burning. "And you. You're her older sister and supposed to set an example for her. Yet all you've done is act like a crude brute and bumble around. To be honest, if you're the best role model she's had, I'm not surprised she's turned out the way she has. It's pathetic." Weiss says, causing Ruby to get angry. "Don't yell at her like that. Yang may not be perfect but she's certainly better than whatever person you modeled yourself after. I try to help, and you yell at me. I try to explain things, and you yell at my sister. How could you ever think you're perfect when you're definitely not? If anything, you're the one that's pathetic." Ruby yells, too angry to realize what she was saying. My eyes widen and Weiss looks stunned before her eyes harden.

SMACK.

Ruby stumbles back, eyes wide, as she holds a hand to the new red handprint on her cheek. Even Weiss looks shocked as she stares, horrified, at her hand. She turns to Ruby, hand held close to her chest as she begins to speak. "Ruby, I…" She starts, but is unable to finish her sentence as Ruby disappears in a flash of red petals, the glimmer of tears in her eyes. Taking a step back, Weiss turns and runs out the door, not even bothering to look back at us. Yang goes to follow after her, hair ablaze and eyes red, but I stop her with a hand on her shoulder. She looks at me, obviously still angry.

I shake my head, looking sadly at her. "You're too close to this. If you try to talk to her right now, I doubt either she or Ruby will listen to you. Let me go talk to Ruby. With any luck, I might be able to calm her down." I say, my voice low. I'm surprised when Law steps forward, hands in his pockets and looking as if what was happening was boring to him. "I'll go talk to the white-haired girl. Might be able to get some sense through that shell of hers." He says nonchalantly before heading in the direction Weiss had gone. "You?" I ask, causing him to turn and look at me with a strange glint in his eyes. "Despite what you may think about me, I believe I can understand where she's coming from better than any of you. As such, I will be the one to speak with her. Good luck with that redhead." He says as he continues on his way, hand raised in an uncaring farewell.

Velvet and Rouge look like they want to say something as well, but I cut them off. "Why don't you two head to the cafeteria with Blake and Yang. Get yourselves something to eat and try to keep Yang calm." I say. Rouge looks uncertain, but eventually nods before herding Yang and Blake out the door, Yang protesting loudly. Velvet approaches me however, a worried look on her face. "Are you sure you want to talk to her alone? I can go with you if it'll help." She says. I give her a sad smile and a kiss on the forehead. "Trust me. I'll be fine. Go get some lunch." I say, giving her a light kiss on the lips. She looks me in the eyes for a minute before nodding and leaving the room.

I let out a sigh as I leave the room as well, nose held to the air as I try to find Ruby's scent.

I smile as I find it and follow the trail.  
I hope I can help make things right.

I stand outside team RWBY's door, silent as I try to think of what to say. Eventually I work up the courage to knock on her door and wait for a response. When I don't hear one I speak up. "Ruby. Can I come in?" I ask. When there's no answer I ask again, albeit quieter. "Please Ruby." I whisper. After a time I hear footsteps and then the clunking of the lock on the door.

It opens to reveal an emotionally distraught Ruby, eyes red and puffy from crying and I can feel my heart break. I want to gather her in my arms and whisper sweet nothings in her ear to make her feel better, but I know that might not be the right thing to do at the time. "Can we talk? Please." I ask. She doesn't answer, but opens the door wider for me. I step in and make my way over to one of the beds closer to the ground, smiling slightly at seeing the bunk beds. Seems we weren't the only ones with that idea. I pat the spot next to me and Ruby walks over and sits down.

The silence persists for several minutes more before Ruby's quiet voice fills the room. "Phiona. Does Weiss… hate me?" She asks and I can feel my heart clench. I smile sadly at her before speaking. "No, I don't think so." I say. Ruby looks up and I can tell she's on the verge of crying again. "But why wouldn't she after all the things I said to her. I said so many hurtful things to her. She basically said that she doesn't like me. That I'm a… nuisance." She says, whispering the last part.

I can't help myself when I wrap my arms around her and hold her tightly against my chest. I can feel her sobbing into my shoulder but it doesn't bother me as I rub small circles on her back before speaking. "Ruby, you're not a nuisance. You're anything but that. I've only known you for four days, yet I can easily tell what kind of person you are. You are a sweet, gentle, and loving person who tries to help anyone that needs it. A nuisance would never do those things and would simply get in the way." I say comfortingly.

"But Weiss…" She starts. "Ruby, you didn't see Weiss' eyes and what was hidden in them. She's afraid, Ruby. Afraid because you represent everything that she's never had. Her eyes are so full of loneliness and pain and when you came along offering a way to get rid of that pain, she didn't know what to do. She has never had to rely on anyone else because she never had anyone to rely **on**. That's why I say she doesn't hate you. She wants to believe in you. To accept the possibilities that you offer. But she's afraid." I say, wiping away Ruby's tears with my thumb as she looks at me, silver eyes wide and hopeful.

"That's where you come in. I can't say it's going to be easy. It is very likely that she may lash out at you like she did today. But you have to stay strong for her and the other members of your team. Show them what you can do and be the leader they know you can be. Can you do that Ruby?" I ask, smiling at her. She smiles brightly at me, a few tear trails left on her face but thankfully disappearing. "Yeah. Yeah, I can do that." She says confidently. I smile and plant a chaste kiss on her forehead while brushing some of her crimson locks behind her ear, not noticing the bright red blush spreading across her cheeks.

"I'm glad. That's all we're asking. And don't let anyone **ever** tell you you're not special, because you most certainly are." I say as I stand to leave. I'm stopped as I feel arms encircle my torso and give me a tight hug. I look down to see Ruby blushing brightly but not letting go. "Thank you Phiona." She whispers. I turn and hug her back. "Of course, little rose. Now come on, we should go get some food before Yang eats it all." I say, opening the door leading out. Ruby wipes her fists against her eyes before leaping off the bed and following me out, a joyful spring back in her step.

I smile as I follow her down the halls, the smile growing wider when she turns and beams at me.

_Even if nothing comes of these feelings I have, Ruby, I will always be here for you. That much I promise_.


End file.
